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Residents will pay for bulky waste collections

COLLECTIONS of bulky waste items in Wychavon will soon cost residents £19 as the currently free service undergoes changes to save money.

The change to the service, which will see a £19 charge for up to two bulky items from April 1, comes as a result of the balancing the budge consultation.

Up to now the council has offered two free collections a year, per home for up to two items each time, and there has been a charge of £18.50 per unit for items like fridges and freezers.

During the consultation of the 1,700 asked the service was rated as the second least important and 66 percent of residents said it was one of the things they would be prepared to see charged for.

Sharon Casswell, client services manager at Wychavon, said: "We’re the only council in Worcestershire that offers a free collection for some items and the service currently costs us £40,000 a year. Residents will be acutely aware that councils are seeing unprecedented changes to their finances and with £4 million to save over the next four years we need to make changes."

Residents still have the option to dispose of items themselves free at centres at Hill and Moor near Pershore, or Hanbury Wharf in Droitwich.

To book a bulky waste collection service call 01386 760145 or for more information visit wychavon.gov.uk/bulkywaste.